Various interactive electronic games have been invented in the past. Some involve the user operating a controller, control stick, gun, steering wheel, or other control device for the user to interact with the game. Other games require the user to perform a physical activity to play the game. Examples are where the user stands on a board and watch a video display of surfing, sitting on a model of a motorcycle and shifting the user's weight to simulate turns, and those in which the user must exert a force or lift a weight against a sensor that measures the strength of the user and charts it against a specific goal. Another type if game is one in which the user must time a physical activity against a moving object or target. This is the type of game which Applicant's invention addresses. The game can also be used as an exercise apparatus in health clubs or at home to simulate jumping rope. Thus the invention is intended to encompass both an interactive electronic game and exercise device.
In Applicant's game the user must jump over a virtual rope in order to score points. The rope is comprised of a series of strings of lights that are placed around the perimeter of an oval shaped housing. Each of the strings of lights is comprised of a series of light emitting diodes connected together. The individual strings of lights are illuminated sequentially to give the illusion that the rope is moving around the perimeter of the housing.
The user stands on a platform or jump pad in front of the housing. As the light rope moves around the housing, the user must jump off of the platform as the light string passes beneath the user. If the user successfully jumps as the light string passes beneath the user, the rope continues rotating around the housing. If the user does not jump as the light string passes beneath the user, the game ends. Sensors in the platform are connected to their respective light string so that the controller determines if the user is off the platform at the precise time that the light string is illuminated. The game continues so long as the user successfully jumps over the light string or until a predetermined time or number of jumps is achieved.
There are provisions in the control circuit so that a user cannot remain off of the platform for more than a predetermined time or the controller will know that the user is not jumping on the platform and playing the game according to the rules. In this event the game ends just as though the user did not jump over the rope.